Finish Line of the Tour de France on the Champs-Elysées

The final section of the last stage of the Tour de France has, since 1975, been played out on one of the most famous avenues in the world: the Champs-Elysées.

Previously, the "survivors" of this gruelling test crossed the finish line at the vélodrome in Vincennes. Now that the finish line is located on the Champs-Elysées this allows for a much larger crowd to come and cheer on the exhausted riders who have spent three long and arduous weeks on the road.

Paris, the dream stage

Tradition has it that the riders form a parade from the start of the stage, up until their entry intoParis. Then the race is on! Attacks will come from all sides. Many dream of winning this stage alone, way ahead of the pack. However the only person to have achieved this is Frenchman Eddy Seigneur, and that was back in 1995!

Since then, this last stage has always been won by sprinters (although Kazakhstani rider Vinokourov was to outstrip the sprinters by a nose in 2005). The course within city of Paris does not vary much from one year to the next, consisting of a series of tours of the French capital.

Once the leader has crossed the line on the Champs-Élysée avenue, you can watch the podium ceremony and applaud the winner of the Tour, as well as those who have won the other jerseys (the green jersey for most points in the classifications, the polka dot jersey for the best climber, the white jersey for the best young rider, and the best team).